Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Taoiseach the number and identity of persons, groups, bodies or agencies other than the established civil servants from whom he or Ministers of State in his Department have sought or received advice in connection with policy or administrative matters appertaining to the operation of his Department or other bodies under his aegis in the past 12 months; the extent to which such advice related to capital expenditure projects; the cost of such advice; the extent to which it has been implemented to date or if it is intended to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35975/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has engaged PA Consulting Group to provide expert support to assist the work of the Organisational Review Programme Team. The company is engaged from 1 October, 2007 for a minimum of 20 days over 6 months. To date, payments amounting to €23,958 have been made. The advice provided to date will be used by the Review Team in its work over the period ahead. Boyd Freeman Design to develop a logo. The cost amounted to €598.95.

RA Consulting was engaged on 1 November, 2007 to design and conduct an Employee Opinion Survey for the staff of my Department. The use of consultants helps to assure staff of the confidentiality of the survey and the independence of its findings. A report on these findings is expected shortly, which will help us in developing our new HR Strategy. The project does not relate to capital expenditure. The cost of the contract is €18,101, including VAT.

The Taskforce on Active Citizenship conducted consultations and presented a set of recommendations to Government in March 2007 which included proposals to improve policies that promote a continued sense of community and greater engagement with civic and democratic processes. There was no capital expenditure incurred in this project. A Steering Group, chaired by Mary Davis, is being established to oversee the work of the Active Citizenship Office as it prepares an implementation plan, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

In December 2006, the Government approved the initiation of a major Review by the OECD of the Irish Public Service. The objectives of this Review are to benchmark the Public Service in Ireland against other comparable countries and secondly, to make recommendations as to future directions for Public Service reform which will support the Government's drive for delivery of world class services to the citizen and contribute to sustainable national competitive advantage. A High Level Steering Group of senior officials, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, is overseeing the Review.

This is the first comprehensive review of the Public Service — as a system — ever undertaken in this country. Given that this is the first whole of Public Service Review undertaken by the OECD, the work is very extensive and requires developing new approaches and working methods. In order for the OECD to develop a holistic approach to reviewing the Public Service as an entity and to apply it in the first instance to Ireland, the Government agreed to increase its contribution to the OECD on a once-off basis by €490,000, to be paid over two years — 2006 and 2007. This Review will assist us in mapping out a new phase of the change and modernisation programme building on the significant change which has already occurred. It is expected that the Review will be completed and published early in 2008. This advice does not relate to capital expenditure.

Fitzpatrick Associates were employed at the end of 2006 to undertake an evaluation of Customer Charters across the Civil Service. Their brief was to evaluate

the quality of Charters across Government Departments and Offices;

the visibility and accessibility of Charters; and

their effectiveness.

They were also required to recommend actions to improve the process and enhance the delivery of service to Civil Service Customers. The report of the evaluation was presented to Government on 25 July, 2007. On foot of the report, the Government established a Task Force on Customer Service to implement the recommendations of the Report. The work also fed into the revision of Guidelines for the Preparation of Customer Charters and Customer Action Plans. These guidelines are currently being finalised and will be distributed across the Civil and Public Service in the coming weeks. The cost of the consultancy was €57,838. This advice does not relate to capital expenditure.

Ms Isolde Goggin and Ms Gillian Lauder are undertaking a review of the operation of Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA). The cost of this consultancy will be €108,900. The final report is expected early 2008. This advice does not relate to capital expenditure.

Goodbody's Economic Consultants were engaged by my Department in March 2006 to provide economic support to Government Departments and Offices for the application of Regulatory Impact Analysis. This advice was on an ongoing basis and the contract finished in 2007. The cost of this consultancy was €29,040. This advice does not relate to capital expenditure.

The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) comes under the aegis of my Department. It consists of the National Economic and Social Council, (NESC), the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP). NESDO has engaged Anne Brady McQuillan DFK to provide accountancy services following a request for quotations in October 2006.